Fate's Cruelty.
by Charmed-Soul
Summary: Fi returns home bringing something evil with her. The only way that it can be defeated is if Annie and Fiona can put aside their differences and work together. Please R&R!! I'll be forever in you debt!!!
1. Chapter 1. The warning.

Fate's cruelty.  
  
By  
  
Bentley Gallo.  
  
Chapter 1: The warning.  
  
"Annie!" Molly yelled. "It's time to go! Fi's bus will get to the station in less then a hour!"  
  
"Coming!" Annie yelled pushing Fiona's ring back onto her finger.  
  
As she turned around her eyes fell onto the panther's face. A troubled look was clouding the animal's eyes.  
  
Annie bent down and moved her hand to the panthers fur. For about the past month Annie had gathered up enough courage to actually touch the panther.  
  
As her hand met the soft velvety feel of the panther's fur it was as if a feeling of darkness flooded into her body.  
  
A chill ran down her spine as she began to talk to the panther. "What's wrong? What is it?"  
  
The panther's words wrung loud and clear in her mind only. Fiona is on her way home am I right?   
  
"Yeah, so?"  
  
Be careful Annie. I sense that something is following Fiona home. Something evil. Like nothing either of you have ever faced before. You must warn her. The only way this thing can be defeated is if you two work together.   
  
"What is it?"  
  
It's –  
  
The sound of molly's voice came from the hallway. "Annie?"  
  
Remember. Be careful.   
  
The panther dematerialized and Annie's hand fell to the floor.  
  
"Annie what's taking so long?" Molly asked stepping into the room.  
  
"Sorry." Annie began. "I just had to grab Fi's ring. I'm sure she's going to want it back."  
  
"Well." Molly said. "Annie that's really thoughtful of you. But can we please get going? I really want to see Fi."  
  
"Sure."  
  
The two of them walked out of the room but the warning that the panther had giving her ran over and over again vividly in her head. 


	2. Chapter 2. Fi's Return.

Fate's Cruelty.  
  
1 By  
  
Bentley Gallo  
  
Chapter 2: Fiona returns.  
  
  
  
The brown haired Fi sat in a Greyhound bus staring out the window at the passing houses.  
  
Her eye caught sight of a large green sign that read: 'Now entering the town of Hope springs California.'  
  
"Home." She said in a low whisper. "Finally."  
  
Unbeknownst to her a dark shadow was creeping towards her. And Hope Springs.  
  
Fifteen Minutes Later:  
  
Fiona felt the bus lurch to a stop and pull her out of a daydream.  
  
She peered out the window and saw her family.  
  
They all stood outside the bus waiting for Fi's arrival.  
  
"Mom!" Fi gasped grabbing her suitcases. "Jack! Carey, Clu!" Then she noticed, "Annie."  
  
Fiona ran off the bus and into her mom's warm embrace.  
  
"Fiona!" Her mom yelled. "It's so good to see you!"  
  
"Fiona and it's so good to see you!" Were just some of the many calls from the reunion.  
  
Annie made her way over to Fi and said hi to her but Fiona's replies were somewhat of a way for her to avoid her.  
  
"Hi Fi!" Annie yelled.  
  
"Oh." Fi said looking at the ground. "Hey Annie."  
  
Fiona moved away and towards jack.  
  
"Whoa." Carey said to Clu. " That was weird."  
  
"Yeah." Clu replied. "Like mondo weirdness."  
  
Awhile-later when Fiona and the gang all started back to the car Annie held her back.  
  
Dark clouds hid the sun from the sky.  
  
"Hey Fi." Annie said grabbing Fi's arm. "Did I make you mad or something?"  
  
"No, Annie," Fi said. "Its just that, well I, I can't talk to you right now!" Fi began to walk off.  
  
"Fi!" Annie yelled but her voice disappeared into a clash of thunder. "Fiona!"  
  
This time Fi heard her and turned back to her.  
  
"What happened to you in Seattle?" She asked her.  
  
"I can't tell you right now."  
  
"Fine Fi!" She yelled. "You've made it quite clear that you don't want to talk to ma anymore but here," She began taking the borrowed ring off her finger. "I owe you this back."  
  
She placed the ring into Fiona's hand just to be met with another remark.  
  
"I'm sorry." Fiona said. "I can't take this. It holds to many memories, of pain. And evil."  
  
"Fi." Annie said back. "You can't just walk away from all these memories."  
  
"Just watch me!" Fi yelled.  
  
Fiona turned her hand down towards the ground and the ring fell.  
  
Fiona and Annie thought that it's clatter on the ground would ring forever in their minds.  
  
Fiona turned her back on Annie and walked out of the station towards the car.  
  
"What happened to her out there?" Annie asked herself.  
  
I'm not sure. The panther began to speak inside Annie's mind. But you've got to do everything in your power to change her back. If you fail, everything you both hold dear will die.   
  
~*~  
  
Up in air the shadow that had been following, Fiona smiled to himself.  
  
"It's only a matter of time…" He said to nothing staring at Fiona and the darkening clouds in the sky. 


	3. Chapter 3. A Blessing in disguise.

Fate's Cruelty.  
  
1 By  
  
Bentley Gallo.  
  
Chapter 3: A blessing in disguise.  
  
Fiona walked through the streets of Seattle by herself.  
  
She saw old homeless families standing around burn barrels warming their hands over a small fire.  
  
She pushed pass the begging hands of the families asking for food.  
  
She walked down an alleyway and saw the door leading to who knows what.  
  
But Fiona felt it held something. Something important.  
  
~*~  
  
"Fiona…"Jack asked. "Hello? Anyone home?"  
  
Jack's voice pulled her out of that memory. And she glad. That was one she wanted to forget.  
  
"Are you okay honey?" Molly asked from the other side of the dinner table.  
  
"Oh!" She gasped. "Yeah! I'm fine, just daydreaming."  
  
"Well." Carey said. "Can you daydream the mashed potatoes my way?"  
  
"Yeah sure." Fiona smiled and handed the bowl towards Carey.  
  
Her hand brushed against his and old flame ignited again in both their hearts.  
  
Fiona remembered the times before she had left when she had feelings for Carey. She sensed that those feelings were back.  
  
And Carey instantly felt an attraction towards this girl now.  
  
Fiona pulled her hand away slowly and stared into his eyes.  
  
He stared back until they felt they eyes of everyone else in the room fall on them.  
  
"Oh!" Carey said. " Better get started with these mashed potatoes!"  
  
"Yeah dude." Clu said spoiling the moment. "I am having some serious potato munchies!"  
  
Annie shot a glance over towards Fiona.  
  
"What am I going to do to get her to help me?" She thought to herself.  
  
And the panthers response said simply in her head; Anything you can…  
  
~*~  
  
Later that night Annie made way as Fiona's new bed was moved into her bedroom.  
  
"Can I help with anything Molly?" Annie asked.  
  
"Oh, yeah sure Annie." Molly said meeting Annie in the doorway to the room. "Can you please go downstairs and grab Fi's bags?"  
  
"Sure." Annie said. "That's easy enough."  
  
Annie pushed up against the side of the hall as Jack, Clu and Carey brought Fiona's bed through the hallway.  
  
"Excuse me Annie." Just said brushing past her.  
  
"Same for us." Clu said.  
  
"Okay guys." Annie laughed making her way down the stairwell.  
  
She opened the closet next to the front door and grabbed at Fiona's suitcases.  
  
Annie pushed the lighter bags holding things like makeup and jewelry back towards the stairs.  
  
Finally there was one bag left to take out of the closet.  
  
Unfortunately, it was the biggest and heaviest ones.  
  
When she finally managed to lug it out of the closet it was almost as if by bad luck, the latches came open and everything fell out of the front pouch.  
  
The things that fell out mostly consisted of; more jewelry and makeup, photos of Seattle and of the gang, and last but not least, a floppy disk.  
  
"Hmm?" Annie said picking up the disk and reading the front label.  
  
The label had only one word written on it sprawled in black ink; 'BRICRIU.'  
  
"Why does that word sound so familiar?" Annie asked herself.  
  
Then she remembered.  
  
She remembered the talks that she used to have with Fi over the Internet.  
  
But one Instant message stood out in her mind.  
  
~*~  
  
Rockerbaby: Hi Annie!  
  
ThelenGirl: Fi! What's up?  
  
Rockerbaby: Oh nothing much.  
  
ThelenGirl: Oh! Come on there's got to be something going on.  
  
Rockerbaby: Well. There is something….  
  
ThelenGirl: You can tell me!  
  
Rockerbaby: Well, it's a long story.  
  
ThelenGirl: I've got time.  
  
Rockerbaby: Well it all started the day that my mom had to perform at the Marfa Lights Music Festival in Texas.  
  
ThelenGirl: Oh! I saw that on paper view! (!!  
  
Rockerbaby: Anyway… The festival was made in honor of the mysterious ghost lights that are frequently spotted in the forest.  
  
ThelenGirl: Ghost Lights? You mean Will-o-the-wisps?  
  
Rockerbaby: So you've heard of them?  
  
ThelenGirl: I've done some research in my spare time.  
  
Rockerbaby: Then you know that they can possess people? Well Jack was one of them.  
  
ThelenGirl: Jack? No way!!  
  
Rockerbaby: Yes! He stopped time and told me that is I could guess his real name I could have Jack back.  
  
ThelenGirl: So we have the real jack back right?  
  
Rockerbaby: Yeah. I used a hangman program that jack created to find the sprite's name. His name was Bricriu. And to get rid of him I had to say 'Be gone from this mortal world Bricriu!' Sounded kind of stupid.  
  
ThelenGirl: So have you seen him since?  
  
Rockerbaby: Unfortunately, yes…  
  
ThelenGirl: What?!  
  
Rockerbaby: It's totally true! And you'll never guess whom he possessed this time…  
  
ThelenGirl: Who? Come on Fi! You have to tell me!  
  
Rockerbaby: My mom…  
  
ThelenGirl: Molly? Does she or jack remember anything?  
  
Rockerbaby: No. But I'd like to forget that time. We both almost died. But I don't think it was Bricriu's fault. I think he was trying to stop it.  
  
ThelenGirl: Stop what?  
  
Rockerbaby: Well. When he possessed mom he did another stop time and transported me, mom and a friend is what I'll call him, to an old factory with lots of gas tanks. Anyway the friend of the family was a really close friend to my daddy when he was still alive. And he was really scared of fire. So to try and scare him away Bricriu started a fire and caught the place on fire. Just before he left my mom he said 'Oh well, I caused the very thing I came to prevent.'  
  
ThelenGirl: So he was in your Molly's body to protect your family. Am I right?  
  
Rockerbaby: Yeah. But then the day you first came to the old house he came back again.  
  
ThelenGirl: The big firefly that I saw?  
  
Rockerbaby: Yes. And he came with a warning for me. Or you could say, a trick for me. He told me to read a spell from a spell book I got a hold of in my earlier travels. You know the one. So I did. He went in my computer to convince me. When I read the spell it was supposed cut off my power of the supernatural. It didn't work. That's all I'm going to tell you.  
  
ThelenGirl: Fi. Your mom's calling me. I've gotta go! See ya later!  
  
Rockerbaby: See ya Annie!  
  
Rockerbaby has signed off.  
  
ThelenGirl has signed off.  
  
~*~  
  
Annie was pulled back into reality and stared down at the floppy disk in her hand.  
  
"Bricriu huh?" Annie asked. "You could just be my blessing in disguise…"  
  
Annie pushed the floppy disk into her back pocket. As she pulled her hand back to the suitcase and began putting the things back inside a voice sounded behind her.  
  
"Annie?!" Fiona yelled. 


	4. Chapter 4. Bricriu.

Fate's Cruelty,  
  
By  
  
Bentley Gallo.  
  
Chapter 4: Bricriu.  
  
"Annie!?" Fiona yelled at her. "What are you doing in my stuff?!!?"  
  
"Well I." Annie began standing to her feet feeling the floppy disk containing Bricriu poke her side. She prayed to god that Fi hadn't seen her take it. "Molly told me that to help out that I should bring your stuff upstairs."  
  
"That doesn't give you a right to go through everything of mine!" Fi yelled back at her. "What your mad at me for giving up the paranormal so now your trying to ruin my life? Is that it?"  
  
"No!" Annie yelled. "Fi! What is the matter with you? What happened to you in Seattle?"  
  
"I already told you!" She said back. "I can't tell you!"  
  
"Does it have to do with the paranormal?" Annie asked kind of concerned for her old and maybe ex best friend.  
  
Then Annie noticed something she hadn't seen on her friend's arm earlier. There was a large black tattoo half hidden by her shirt on her arm. The tattoo looked like a black gothic cross on her arm.  
  
"Fi…" Annie began approaching Fi. "When did you get a tattoo?"  
  
"Oh!" Fiona gasped. "Forget it. You never saw it…"  
  
"Fi?"  
  
"I…" Fi began obviously upset by something. "I have to take a walk."  
  
Fiona ran to the front door and made her escape.  
  
"There's something about that cross…" Annie said, the panther appearing behind her. "And I'm going to find out what."  
  
Annie started back on her job and began collecting Fi's things from the floor, the disk still digging into her side.  
  
Fi walked down the street holding her arms around her waist trying to keep warm.  
  
"Geez!" She said to herself. "I didn't realize how cold it was out here!"  
  
The 'tattoo' (as Fi likes to think of it,) stung her arm painfully.  
  
It was dark outside now but the ominous clouds overhead gave off an eerie purple glow.  
  
She remembered the same clouds in Seattle.  
  
The same ones that had followed her all the way back home. This home.  
  
A drop of water fell from the sky and hit her face. Then another fell and it hit her arm. That only made her arm hurt worse.  
  
"Ow!" She gasped feeling the mark on her arm grow larger.  
  
~*~  
  
"Ha ha…" The shadow laughed again inside the cloud. But one thing was different.  
  
The shadow had an arm, if you could call it that. It was more of a claw. It had silver scales and five ling clawed fingers.  
  
But one thing on its arm stood out.  
  
There was a large black gothic cross covering most of the topside of the arm.  
  
~*~  
  
It was about fifteen minutes later when Annie sat at her computer in her and Fi's room.  
  
She inserted the disk containing Bricriu into the drive.  
  
"Time to find out what you really hold." Annie said to the icon of the disk on the menu screen.  
  
She moved the mouse to the icon and double clicked.  
  
At first all that appeared was a black screen with a static sort of noise.  
  
But then a very small faint shimmer lighted up the middle of the screen.  
  
"Here we go…" Annie said to the panther that was laying on the floor next to her. "I guess it's time to meet Bricriu."  
  
Annie sat open eyed and in awe as the small shimmer grew to a glow. 


	5. Chapter 5. Bricriu's Warning.

Fate's Cruelty,  
  
1 By  
  
Bentley Gallo.  
  
Chapter 5: Bricriu's Warning.  
  
Annie sat mesmerized by the glow the computer's screen was giving off.  
  
The light began to take a form into a solid round ball.  
  
Then a voice rang softly through the room.  
  
"Oh…" Said Bricriu floating around the screen. "Tis' so good to be out of that bloody disk. Really cramps me bones!"  
  
"Bricriu?" Annie asked the ball of light.  
  
"Tis' that you little duck?" Bricriu asked. "And yes tis' me, Bricriu. No. You're not the little duck."  
  
"You mean Fiona?" Annie asked him. "And I'm Annie."  
  
"Yes. I'm a talking about young Fi. And you tis' Annie huh? Well I can't be calling you Annie all the time. How 'bout 'little swan?'"  
  
"Little Swan?" Annie asked. "I guess it's okay. But why little swan?"  
  
"Well you see you and little duck have sort of a sameness about you." Bricriu explained. "Like magnets for the paranormal. Like two ducks from the same pond."  
  
"How do you know?" Annie questioned Bricriu.  
  
"Well you tell me just how normal that panther of yours tis'."  
  
"You can see him?"  
  
"Course I can see him! And what is this twenty questions?"  
  
"No. I'm sorry. But I need your help…"  
  
~*~  
  
Fiona sat on a bench in the Hope Springs Park Gazebo. She was pulling her sweater over the slightly larger but still small tattoo.  
  
"Fiona?" Carey asked stepping into the Gazebo.  
  
"Carey?" Said Fiona, her spirits lifting a little. "What are you doing here?"  
  
"Well." Carey told her sitting down next to her. "I do some of my best thinking on this bench here. I'm pretty well known around these parts."  
  
"Oh…" Fiona said standing to her feet. "Well I can leave if you want me too."  
  
"No Fi." Carey said. "Why don't you stay here with me? I want to talk with you."  
  
"About what?"  
  
"Anything Fi, about your trip, Seattle, to be honest Fi. I'm kind of worried about you. You seem really disconnected now, ever since you got back. Did something happen to you? You can tell me."  
  
"I… I don't like to remember a lot that happened in Seattle. It's too painful."  
  
Fiona moved back to the seat next to him on the bench.  
  
"That's just it Fi. You can't let things like that stay bottled up forever… It's bad for you."  
  
"Well." She said. "Let me think about it. I'm just not ready yet. And Carey?"  
  
"Yeah?" He asked.  
  
"Thanks. For being concerned."  
  
"Your welcome." He told her planting a kiss on her lips.  
  
After a moment they both just looked at each other until Fiona finally gathered up the courage to talk again.  
  
"Well Carey." She said. "Walk me home?"  
  
"Sure." Said Carey as they both walked off the Gazebo arm in arm.  
  
~*~  
  
The shadow looked down on Carey and Fiona as they moved down the streets towards their home.  
  
The shadow had both arms now and his feet were starting to appear.  
  
"Blast that boy!" He said slamming a claw down onto the throne he was sitting in. "He is going to ruin everything! The more pain she endures the stronger I'll become. And the eviler she'll become. But this fool of a boy hanging around her, I could fail. I won't allow it!" He slammed his hand down onto the arm of the chair again.  
  
"Menarock!" He yelled.  
  
A figure moved from the shadows towards him. "Yes Master Archeron?"  
  
Menarock was a dwarf-sized plant like creature with nasty looking claws.  
  
"Menarock, I have a job for you…"  
  
"Whatever you want, I will do for you."  
  
"Do you see that boy down there?" Said the master pointing towards Carey.  
  
"Yes I see him."  
  
"Kill him."  
  
"Your wish is my command."  
  
~*~  
  
"What will you be need my assistance for?" Bricriu asked Annie.  
  
"It's about Fi."  
  
"Little duck? Be she in trouble?"  
  
"I'm not sure yet."  
  
"Then I'll be guessing you don't need my services. So I'll be going."  
  
"I'm just one click away from the delete button…" Annie warned.  
  
"Well when ya put it that way…"  
  
"I saw something. On her arm. A cross. Almost like a gothic cross."  
  
"Oh…"  
  
"Oh what?" Annie asked.  
  
"I don't know if I can help you with this."  
  
"Why?" Annie asked him moving her mouse to the delete button. "What is it?"  
  
"It's part of the powers that be."  
  
"Tell me more about these powers that be."  
  
"Let me out first."  
  
"No."  
  
"Then I can't tell you. For when I tell you, they will know. Then they'll be a coming after me. I'll be a sitting duck."  
  
"Fine." Annie told him not willing to endanger his life. "But you've got to promise you won't run away."  
  
"I promise." He told her.  
  
"Fine." Annie said moving the mouse to the disk-emptying icon.  
  
She pressed it and Bricriu flew out of the computer screen.  
  
"Thank you little swan." Bricriu thanked her. "Now. The powers that be are very dangerous. It's what decides how long you live. And where you go when you die. Supposedly there are five demons that make up the council of the power that be. And supposedly there be five others who oppose the forces of good and work for evil. Archeron, Megeron, Samrillaron, Raerolron, and Pareilaron."  
  
"So, weird names. What does this have to do with Fi?"  
  
"They also have the power, to make more master's of darkness. And it looks like they've chosen our little duck."  
  
  
  
~*~  
  
So how do you like it so far? Read and Review please! If I get good reviews I'll upload the next Chapter!  
  
Thanks Guys! And Girls! 


	6. Chapter 6. Fate's Call.

1 Fate's Cruelty  
  
1.1 By  
  
Bentley Gallo  
  
Chapter 6: Fate's Call.  
  
"What do you mean that they've chosen Fi?" Annie asked Bricriu.  
  
"Every master on both of the council's of the powers that be have the power to take one mortal, male or female, and bestow upon them, the power to be a new council member."  
  
"How does it work?" Annie asked. "And how do I stop it?"  
  
"That's the thing." Bricriu answered. "The more pain Fiona experiences, the eviler she'll get. And the worst thing is, I don't know how to stop it."  
  
"Your such a big help." Annie said sarcastically.  
  
~*~  
  
The slimy form of Menarock moved on top of the buildings towards Fiona and Carey.  
  
"Why did I ever agree to this?" He asked himself. The vines that fell of his sides were flowing behind him. "I hate doing this sort of stuff. Oh well. Better sooner then later.  
  
Menarock moved ahead of the pair of teens walking down the street and slipped into an abandoned alleyway.  
  
~*~  
  
Fiona shivered as she and Carey walked along the streets, the wind brushing her hair back behind her face.  
  
Carey, feeling her arm shiver immediately made Fiona an offer. "Fi? Are you cold? You can have my jacket if you want it. I have a pretty heavy sweater on under this."  
  
"Are you sure?" Fiona asked him immediately thinking that Carey would never like anyone who couldn't take this kind of cold.  
  
"Yeah…" Carey said pulling his jacket off reveling a white gap sweater. "I'd be cold if all I was wearing on a night like was a small tank top."  
  
"Thanks Carey." Fi chuckled pulling on Carey's coat now dismissing her last thoughts.  
  
She could smell Carey's cologne on the jacket. "Wow…" She thought to herself. "This is a perfect moment. Nothing could ruin this." She was wrong.  
  
"Crash!" A loud noise erupted from the alleyway to the teen's right.  
  
"What was that?!" Fiona asked grabbing Carey's hand.  
  
"I'm not sure…" Carey said moving towards the entrance to the ally. "But I'll find out."  
  
"Carey no." Fiona said to him.  
  
But Carey entered the ally anyway.  
  
~*~  
  
"I'm sorry. Bricriu told Annie. "I'd like to help you and the little duck more but this is about all I know."  
  
"About all…" Annie said waving the floppy disk in front of Bricriu threateningly.  
  
"Well." Bricriu began. "All of you must watch out. For whichever dark master is behind this, they will stop at nothing to make our little duck one of them. And when I saw nothing, I mean nothing. They will kill to make her one of them."  
  
"Kill?" Annie asked getting scared. "How can we fight this then?"  
  
"This will not be a battle of mortal weapons and words." He told Annie. "This will be a battle of energy. Good versus evil. If and when there is a final confrontation you must focus all of your energies into a one cause. Fighting the evil. And it will be better if you can get the little duck to join you in this fight. Then maybe, just maybe, the odds will be in your favor."  
  
"I know you have to leave at some point." Annie started. "But if I need you help, where can I find you?"  
  
"You good with music, aren't you?" He asked her.  
  
"Yeah. How did you know?"  
  
"I can see it in your eyes. Well anyway. If you be a needin' me, play one of your songs on this." Out of nowhere a wooden flute with an engraving of a forest on it fell into Annie's lap. "I'll know it's you. And I'll come a running."  
  
"Thanks." Said Annie. "For everything."  
  
"Your welcome." Bricriu said flying out the window.  
  
Annie stared as the ball of light slowly disappeared.  
  
~*~  
  
"Carey. Fiona said. "Don't go in there!"  
  
"It's going to be fine." He said entering into the alleyway. "See?" All of a sudden, Menarock, sensing that his prey was now inside the alleyway, began to close the trap.  
  
The vines hanging off Menarock's arms began to grow longer and began to fly across the opening to the alleyway, closing Carey inside, trapped.  
  
"Or not." Carey said.  
  
"Carey?" Fiona said turning back towards the now closed by vines alleyway. "Carey!"  
  
Menarock moved out into the opening and faced Carey. "What the- Fi! Help me!"  
  
"Carey!" Fiona yelled grabbing the vines and instantly being pricked by thousands of thorns. She didn't care. She knew that if she didn't act now something would happen to the man of her dreams.  
  
Menarock whipped a vine out and it hit him in the chest, slicing his chest and shirt open.  
  
"Ahh!" Carey screamed. "Fi! Help me please!"  
  
"I'm trying!" Fiona yelled knowing that Carey was going to die if she didn't help him.  
  
Carey fell against a wall as Menarock sliced at his chest hit his claws.  
  
"Arrrgggghhhh!" Carey yelled feeling his blood dripping out of his body.  
  
"Carey!!!!" Fiona yelled feeling the pain of her raw hands burning all the way up her arms.  
  
More vines and claws pummeled Carey and he felt himself slipping away, into the darkness.  
  
~*~  
  
"Carey!!!!!!" Bricriu heard Fiona's cries echoing through the silence of the night.  
  
"Little duck!!!" Bricriu yelled realizing whose voices those were. "I've got to save her! And the boy!"  
  
Bricriu followed the sounds all the way to the source.  
  
Bricriu saw Fiona clawing at the vines covering the entrance to the alleyway.  
  
Then he saw Carey being pummeled by an old demon enemy of his. "Menarock." He growled. "I will not let you take another innocent life!"  
  
Bricriu flew through the air down towards Menarock.  
  
With a weapon not seen to any mortal Bricriu sliced through the vines covering the entrance to the alley.  
  
Fiona ran inside and jumped in front of Menarock's claw.  
  
"Ahhh!!!!" She screamed felling the pain of the claw dig into her side.  
  
"No one touches my little duck!" Bricriu screamed.  
  
"Bricriu?" Fi said in barley a whisper. "Thank you."  
  
Bricriu flew into Menarock's claw, slicing it off.  
  
"Ahhhhrrrggghhhhh!" Menarock screeched disappearing on top of the nearest building.  
  
"Good bye little duck." Bricriu said flying off into the night.  
  
"Carey?" Fi said, cupping Carey's cheek in her hand.  
  
"Fiona?" He said just audible enough to be heard. He brought his hand up to her cheek.  
  
"Thank you." He said. "For trying to save me."  
  
"I thought I lost you." She told him, tears streaming down her face. "Carey? I have to tell you this now. I love you."  
  
"I-I-I love you too." He gasped out.  
  
They brought their faces towards each other and shared a very passionate kiss.  
  
The kiss only lasted about ten seconds when Carey broke it off going into a fit of very painful coughs.  
  
Carey could feel the darkness creeping over him.  
  
"I-I-I'm tired." Carey said coughing again. "I want to sleep…"  
  
"No!" Fiona said know that if he fell asleep the results could be fatal for him. "Carey. You can't go to sleep. Carey, wake up."  
  
Carey's eyes were closed and his breathing was heavy and raspy.  
  
Fiona tried to wake him up anyway she could. But to no prevail.  
  
And she knew, that Carey was going to be asleep for a very long time.  
  
"Carey…" She said brushing his hair back. "Help!!! Anyone please help me!!!!"  
  
Fiona knew that she would never forget the echoing of her screams through the streets of hope springs.  
  
~*~  
  
1.2 So? Do you guys like the story so far?  
  
If you do please post good reviews and I will upload the next chapter!!!  
  
Thanks!!! 


	7. Chapter 7. Questions.

1 Fate's Cruelty  
  
By  
  
Bentley Gallo  
  
Chapter 7: Questions.  
  
"Help!!!!!" Fiona cried holding Carey and clutching her torn open side. "Anyone!!!! Please help me!!!!"  
  
Just when Fiona was about to abandon all hope and give into the darkness, four dark figures entered the alleyway.  
  
A bright light flashed down onto Fiona's face, burning her eyes.  
  
"Fiona?" Asked Annie. "Carey?"  
  
"Fiona!" Molly yelled rushing to her daughter's side.  
  
"Carey!" Yelled Jack and Clu kneeling next to Carey's broken and battered body.  
  
"What did this?" Annie asked no one in particular.  
  
~*~  
  
The clouds hovered very close to the ground at Central Park. As the wind came along and blew the clouds away, a strange mansion-like castle containing Menarock and the master, remained.  
  
"Master?" Asked Menarock, entering the castle in great pain, clutching his stub of a claw with his other still remaining claw.  
  
"So Menarock…" The master began standing to his feet. "Is the job done?"  
  
Now the master's form was completed. His whole body was standing in front of Menarock now.  
  
Archeron was almost seven feet tall in all. His whole body was covered from head to toe in silver fighting armor. On the belt to his side lay a very large silver and gold sheath. Obviously holding a very large sword.  
  
"Great!" Thought Menarock. "I thought this was going to be easy! Why couldn't you have waited about three hours before gaining your body back?!!"  
  
"Well…" Menarock started, a small squeak in his voice. "I had almost finished him off…"  
  
"Almost?!!" The master asked reaching down towards the sheath holding his sword.  
  
"Well, I-I would have killed him if it wasn't for that fool of a will- o-the-wisp named Bricriu."  
  
"Bricriu's back?" Asked the master. "And you allowed the pesky sprite to beat you?"  
  
"I'm sorry Master…" Said Menarock backing against a newly materialized wall. "It won't happen again…"  
  
"No…" Said the master pulling the sword out of its sheath. "I don't think it will."  
  
"No!" Menarock pleaded backing as far as he could against the wall. "Please master… Let me try again, please!"  
  
"I think that's out of the question." The master said raising the sword above his head.  
  
The master struck quickly, the sword came down, slicing through Menarock's side.  
  
"Ahhh!!!!" The master tore the sword out of his minions side and slid it back it back inside the sheath.  
  
Menarock fell to the ground spilling his green plasma-like blood all over the floor.  
  
"Aw! Great!" The master yelled. "I am not picking that up! And anyway…it's so hard to find good minions these days. No matter. I shall finish that boy Carey off, and Fiona Phillips shall be mine!"  
  
With that the master moved towards the door, leaving poor Menarock dying on the floor.  
  
~*~  
  
Fi?" Annie asked crouching near her. "Can you tell us what did this?"  
  
"It was-a-a creature…" Fiona gasped the cross on her arm was now very large.  
  
"What creature?' Asked Molly pulling out her cell phone.  
  
"It must have been pretty big to create this much carnage." Clu said still next to his brother.  
  
"Maybe it was a rabid dog or something?" Jack said, his usual logic showing through.  
  
"It wasn't a dog…" Fiona said barely able to talk, the pain in her side was so bad.  
  
"Yes." Molly said into her cell phone to the nine one one operator. "We need an ambulance to the alleyway on the corner of fifth and main. "We have two victims here. A rabid dog or something attacked them. They're in pretty bad shape. And one of them isn't responding to anything."  
  
"Some officers are on their way." The operator told Molly.  
  
"Thanks so much." Molly said. "Jack!"  
  
"Yeah mom? Jack asked moving towards her.  
  
"Please go stand out there and wait for the ambulance, okay?"  
  
"Yeah." Jack said planting a comforting kiss on her cheek. "Sure."  
  
"Fiona?" Molly said to her. "Are you okay?"  
  
"My side hurts…" She said to her mom. "What happened to it?"  
  
Molly looked down at her daughter's side and saw the gash marks and blood on her shirt.  
  
Then she realized that her daughter must be hurt so badly that her memory is going haywire.  
  
"Nothing honey." Molly said, comforting her. "Just rest."  
  
"Okay…" Said Fiona.  
  
The last thing that she remembered as her mind faded into the darkness, was the sirens and lights of the advancing ambulances.  
  
~*~  
  
"Ummmm…." Fiona groaned pushing her hair out of her face and realizing something was on her forehead. "What?" She asked feeling the scratchy material of the Band-Aids that the hospitals use.  
  
"Oops!" Molly gasped taking Fiona's hand. "Try not to touch that honey."  
  
"Mom?" Said Fiona opening her eyes.  
  
As she looked around her new surrounds, by the white wash color of the walls and ceilings, she knew she was in a hospital.  
  
Around her stood Molly, Ned, Clu, Jack, and Annie, Irene was nowhere in sight.  
  
"Hey sport." Said Ned moving towards Fiona. "How are you doing?"  
  
"Hi Ned." Fi said smiling. "I'm fine…" But how's Carey."  
  
"Well…" Said Ned. "It's hard for me to talk about but… Fiona…Carey's in coma…"  
  
"Coma?" Fiona asked in shock. "He can't be!"  
  
"Fiona." Said Jack. "You and Carey both lost a lot of blood. But Carey lost more then you."  
  
"You were both lucky to survive." Molly said. "You both suffered from Internal Bleeding."  
  
"Well!" Said Fiona sitting up and instantly feeling as though someone smashed a hammer against her head. "I've got to go see him!" Then the dizzying effects of the unknown wound on her head began to really take effect. "Or maybe not…"  
  
"Whoa! Fi!" Said Clu. "You've got to be careful… We don't want, someone else in a coma." Then it seemed like something broke inside Clu. "I'm sorry." He said and rushed out of the room.  
  
"Clu!" Jack, and Annie said running after him.  
  
"Well…" Said Ned. "I'd better go see Carey and Irene."  
  
With that everyone was gone from the room except for the wounded Fi, and her mother.  
  
"I'm so glad your okay!" Molly said to her daughter brushing her hair back with her hand.  
  
"I need to go see Carey and Irene now." Molly said moving out of her chair. "Try and get some sleep. Okay. You're going to have a big day tomorrow."  
  
"What's tomorrow?" Fi asked her mother.  
  
"The police want to ask you some questions." Molly told her daughter. "Try and sleep."  
  
"Okay…" Fi said as her mom stepped out of the room, closing the door behind her.  
  
"Carey…." Fiona said as a single tear fell down her cheek.  
  
~*~  
  
"Okay young lady…" Said the Chief of Police sitting down in Fi's hospital room.  
  
No one else was in the room.  
  
"My name's Fiona Phillips, Fi for short." She told him.  
  
The Chief's full name was 'Bradley R. Bennet'. He was a tall black man of high stature in the community.  
  
"Well Fi." He began. "I need to ask you a few questions."  
  
"Okay shoot." Said Fiona sitting up, her headache now gone.  
  
"Okay…" He continued. "What time was it when you and the young man were attacked?"  
  
"Umm…" Fiona strained her mind to remember. "It was nine thirty."  
  
"Okay!" He said pulling out a pad of papers and jotting notes down. "Next question: Who was your assailant?"  
  
"A creature…" She responded.  
  
"A creature? What kind of creature?"  
  
"It wasn't human."  
  
"So it was something like a dog or something?"  
  
"No. It made vines. It separated us then attacked Carey."  
  
"What are you trying to pull Fi Phillips?"  
  
"I'm not kidding! Look at my hands! I tore them up trying to get to him!"  
  
She stuck her hands in his face and they were covered with large anesthetic Band Aids.  
  
"So your saying a monster attacked you both?"  
  
"Yes!"  
  
"Then why didn't it kill you and get it over with?"  
  
"A friend saved us." She said simply.  
  
"Then who is this friend? I think he deserves a medal!"  
  
"No! You can't give him one!"  
  
"And why not?"  
  
"He's not human?"  
  
"WHAT!" Bradley yelled obviously getting very mad. "Then what is he?"  
  
"A will o the wisp?"  
  
"That's it." He said standing to his feet. "I need to talk to your doctor. It looks like you need a few more stays in the hospital."  
  
~*~  
  
So how do you guys like the story so far? Please review! I'll give you cake!!!  
  
If I get up to 10 to 13 good reviews or I'm just feeling good I'll update the next Chapter!!!!  
  
So please Review!!!! 


	8. Chapter 8. Girl not so Interrupted.

1 Fate's Cruelty  
  
1.1 By  
  
Bentley Gallo  
  
Chapter 8: Girl Not So Interrupted.  
  
"Longer?!" Fiona asked Molly. "I have to stay here, in this crummy old hospital longer?!"  
  
"Just long enough so as they can run some tests." Molly said to her.  
  
"Tests?" Fiona asked sitting straight up in the hospital bed. "What kind of tests?"  
  
"Well…" Molly said not sure if now would be a good time to tell her.  
  
"Sorry Fi." Annie said stepping into the room. "They won't let me give anymore chocolate milkshakes to you because you're a patient."  
  
"Thanks anyway Annie." Fi chuckled.  
  
"Well." Said Molly inching past Annie. "I'd better go see how Carey's doing."  
  
"Go ahead mom." Fi said. "But later me and you are going to talk."  
  
"Sure honey." Molly said leaving the room.  
  
"See ya later Mol!" Annie said.  
  
"Annie…"Said Fiona. "Can I talk with you?"  
  
"Yeah." Said Annie sitting down in Molly's usual chair next to Fi. "Sure."  
  
~*~  
  
Carey's body lay on a hospital bed with monitors surrounding him.  
  
Irene, Ned and Molly stood outside the room talking amidst themselves about his health.  
  
Master Archeron stood outside Carey's hospital window watching the boy.  
  
Then he took the moment when no one was in the room as his chance to strike.  
  
Master Archeron walked into the room through the wall and stood over Carey's forever sleeping body.  
  
The monitors beeped in tune with Carey's heartbeats.  
  
"Now pretty boy." Said the master, pulling open a secret compartment on the left arm side of his armor. He reached his hand inside and reveled a large syringe with a strange liquid inside. "I'm not going to let you steal the girl who could be so much help to the forces of darkness away from me. Now my minion couldn't kill you… But I'm different…. I can."  
  
~*~  
  
"So…" Molly said to Irene and Ned. "How is he?"  
  
"The doctor said there's no change." Irene told her.  
  
"They said that we might be able to bring him home for a few days to spend with him." Ned said to Molly.  
  
"That's good." Molly said patting Ned's arm.  
  
"I just don't understand who would do something like this!" Irene said moving away from them.  
  
"Well." Said Molly. "We can all pray for the best."  
  
"Yeah." Said Ned.  
  
~*~  
  
"Annie." Said Fiona. "I'm sorry."  
  
"For what?" Annie asked knowing 'what' all ready but wanting her friend to be comfortable to talk about it.  
  
"For yelling at you." Fiona said feeling tears rushing to the surface. "And telling you that I didn't believe anymore."  
  
"Fiona." Annie began. "I understand."  
  
"How can you?!" Fiona asked.  
  
"I talked with Bricriu." Annie explained.  
  
"What? When?"  
  
"The night of the attack."  
  
"That night? How long was I asleep?"  
  
"Almost four days. The doctors said you were in a coma too. And with Carey's situation they thought that you weren't going to wake up."  
  
"Four days?" Fiona asked in amazement.  
  
"Yeah." Annie replied. "You were lucky."  
  
"So Ned and Irene must be pretty bitter towards me right now."  
  
"No actually, they're pretty happy that at least one of you two has woken up."  
  
"So, guess who saved us? Bricriu!" Fiona told her friend.  
  
"What? No way!?"  
  
"Yah! Now. Anyway. How'd you get to talk to Bricriu?"  
  
"Well… remember when you saw me putting your stuff back into the suitcase? Anyway, that's when I saw the floppy with his name on the front. So I toke it…"  
  
"I knew you took something! But don't worry, I'm not mad."  
  
"Aww!" She said. "That's a load off my mind! Well Fiona! What he told me is serious!"  
  
"About the council of darkness?"  
  
"Yeah. How did you know?"  
  
"After I got infected by a Master Archeron, I studied up on them as well as I could."  
  
"So that's why you came back here?" asked Annie.  
  
"No." Fiona responded. "I'm meant that's not all. There was something else. Something that happened."  
  
"Like what?" Annie asked.  
  
"When I was in Seattle, I met a lot of nice people, but I fell in love with one of them."  
  
"Really? Who?" Annie questioned.  
  
"His name was Joey. He was our age, and pretty easy on the eyes too. Then the Master infected me. Knowing what was in me I was pretty upset, and had it pretty rough. But Joey helped me through it all. He was my everything."  
  
"Why didn't he come visit us with you?"  
  
"He can't. He can never. The master was watching me all the time, to make sure that I was miserable. Then he found out about Joey. And to make sure that he wouldn't fail, he-he- killed him. Just like he must have tried to do to Carey."  
  
"What? No! He shouldn't just be able to kill someone that he doesn't like! It's not fair."  
  
"I know. And now he's after Carey…"  
  
"Why would he go after Carey? Oh…" Annie realized surprised. "You, and Carey, are involved?"  
  
"Yeah." Fiona said sheepishly. "You've got to promise me that you won't tell anyone. Especially not Jack or Mom."  
  
"I promise."  
  
All of a sudden, the door burst open and two doctors in long white coats followed by the Chief of Police walked in.  
  
"Congratulations Fi Phillips." Said the Chief. "Your now the one hundredth patient at the Hope Springs Medical Asylum…"  
  
"Asylum?" Both Fi and Annie asked in unison.  
  
~*~  
  
The master pushed the syringe into the skin in Carey's arm where a major vein was located.  
  
"Are you ready?" The master asked the sleeping boy, to no answer. "Good…I hate it when they are!"  
  
The master began to push on the end of the syringe. And he watched in a crazed amazement as the yellow liquid entered into Carey's skin.  
  
"The good thing about this stuff is that you're going to die slowly, every time I inject more of this into your body. And the doctors will never be able to find out why you're dying… It's the perfect plan!"  
  
As Archeron pulled the syringe out of Carey's skin the monitors that kept track of his heart rate slowed a few beats.  
  
~*~  
  
1.2 So! How do you like this story so far?  
  
If you like it a lot please review.  
  
I am hoping to get up to at least twenty reviews before uploading the next chapter!  
  
But it depends on how good I'm feeling. So chapter 9 might be up sooner then you think. 


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